The
Kabaddi season is in full swing at Lahore’s Nishtar Park Sports Complex.
Action-packed encounters of the Super Kabaddi League are enthralling audiences
every day and the excitement is set to reach its peak as the business end of
the competition now almost upon us. With the final set to be contested on May
10, 2018, the heat is on and teams are putting everything on the line to make
it to the showpiece event.
This
new form of the traditional sport of Kabaddi has taken the excitement up a
notch. Sports enthusiasts in Pakistan have taken to this revamped format of the
game of Kabaddi like ducks to water. The signs so far have been quite
promising. The first-ever international sports league to be held entirely on
Pakistani soil is on its way to a successful conclusion. Seeing the renewed
interest of the masses in this indigenous South Asian sport with a rich
history, we decided to put it all together and bring to you a useful guide that
would tell you everything you need to know about the first edition of Super
Kabaddi League. So, without further ado, let’s walk you through it and help you
enjoy the final few days of intense competition armed with all the right
information about the history-making Super Kabaddi League.
Super Kabaddi League (SKL) Owners
First
things first, let’s talk a little bit about the owners and organizers of Super
Kabaddi League. The league is owned and operated by Strawberry Sports
Management, an Islamabad-based international sports management company. The
Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has partnered with the sports management
company and will be the exclusive technical collaborator for SKL. The SKL
venture is a ten-year-plus international
Kabaddi league that will feature some of the best Kabaddi players from Pakistan
and around the world. The format being followed for SKL is the
city/region-based franchise model which has been hugely successful in other
sports; notable examples include the Indian Premier League (IPL) for cricket in
India and the corresponding Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Pakistan. PTV Sports
has obtained the rights for live broadcasting of SKL matches whereas live web
streaming is also available for viewers to enjoy the thrilling encounters.
Competing Teams
The
inaugural edition of SKL features ten
franchise-based teams representing the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad,
Peshawar, Gujrat, Gwadar, Kashmir, Multan, and Sahiwal. These ten teams are
battling it out for the top honor and the right to be called Pakistan’s finest
Kabaddi unit. International players from eight different countries are also
showcasing their talent and ability in front of Pakistani audiences.
Player
Draft for the Super Kabaddi League was held in Lahore on April 23, 2018, where the ten participating teams picked
up their favored players in a bid to shape formidable squads that would give
them the best shot at glory. Besides Pakistan, players from Bangladesh, Iran,
Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka are turning out for the Islamabad All-Stars, Lahore Thunders, Karachi Zorawar,
Multan Sikandar, Faisalabad Sherdils, Gwadar Bahadurs, Gujrat Warriors, Kashmir
Janbaaz, Peshawar Haiders, and Sahiwal
Bulls.
Rebirth of Kabaddi in Pakistan
A
glittering opening ceremony on May 1, 2018,
kicked off the tournament at Lahore’s Nishtar Park Sports Complex. Being
branded as Pakistani Kabaddi’s reintroduction to the world, it is being hoped
that the first season of Super Kabaddi League will be able to lay a solid
foundation for a hugely popular and successful annual event that the fans will
love and eagerly wait for year after year.
International Certification
International
Kabaddi Federation (IKF) has endorsed the Super Kabaddi League and given its
go-ahead to the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) to proceed with the event.
IKF has also assured the PKF of complete support with the organizing of Super
Kabaddi League 2018. This endorsement has allowed SKL to enhance its scope
beyond Pakistani borders and make international players an integral part of the
event.
The Future
It
remains to be seen how successful the first SKL season is and how much
popularity the league can generate in years to come. The signs so far seem promising.
For the sake of sports in Pakistan, it is hoped that the league turns out to be
a roaring success.